Why Recruit Graduates?

 

This question has been around for almost as long as graduates and especially since the early 1990’s with the expansion of the Higher Education sector.  Urban myths are abundant, such as how graduates: are not as good as they used to be; expect to become MD in a year; cost the company money by enjoying lots of training and then leaving before they become of value.

So, why do you find yourself asking this question in the first place?  Is it because your organisation is always testing what you do, to ensure you are not getting ‘stale’?  If so, then it is a good question to ask.  If, on the other hand, it is based on the urban myths then you should look again at the graduate market.

We operate in a rapidly changing commercial environment that requires a leaner organisation with fewer, better people, who are flexible and accepting of change.  There is a huge pressure for recruiters to provide a constant source such individuals.

We would argue that the graduate pool is swimming with such individuals.

Your options...

It is true that not all graduates are great. What is certain is that all companies, large and small, need talent and there are two main routes to achieving this.  Either through experienced employees, who come at a high price (with no guarantees), or you can ‘grow your own’.

With not enough truly experienced talent around, the reality is you need to use both strategies. Now is the time to re-evaluate at the graduate market and recognise what it has to offer.

 

Today's graduates... 

At it’s most simplistic, graduates bring new ideas, energy and enthusiasm; they are mouldable, have no baggage (or preconceived ideas as to how they have always done it!) and a proven ability to learn quickly, plus a real desire to achieve (and make money to clear those growing debts!).

The size of the graduate market has lead to many changes that are great for business. There is now a year round supply of this talent, so you no longer have to recruit around the academic timetable, but rather around the needs and timescales of your business.

There is now a much more diverse supply of graduates, so they come with a wider choice of level of ability (because sometimes we just want a bright individual to do a job for us; we don’t want them all to become senior managers!) and with it comes a corresponding salary expectation, high and low.   

As such we believe there are four levels and thus, four different ways to tap into that huge talent pool:

1. The traditional corporate graduate management scheme, aimed at the crème de la crème, who will fast track their way around the key functions of the business over a two-year period.

2. The more functional graduate fast track scheme (growing in popularity) where again top-flight graduates are recruited into a specific function and with a real job to do.

Often used by the larger organisations, these methods tend to be focused on future needs and succession planning.  But don’t think if you are an SME that you can’t do the same, we have examples of a number who have done so very successfully.

 

3. ‘Direct Entry’ roles where graduates are again taken straight into a role, but not part of any set ‘scheme’ so the development is less structured but the opportunities and expectations, we would suggest, for advancement are the same as for the first two.

4. ‘Ad hoc’ roles where a vacancy exists in a company, which can be done by a graduate or non-graduate.

The majority of graduates get their first job through these two routes.

These routes tend to be used for more immediate, current business needs and have less requirement for academic achievement more focus on personality.

 

Graduates are becoming more realistic …

The good graduates, taking the latter two routes, are often just looking for an opportunity to show what they can do and start earning some money – so why aren’t enough employers harnessing this desire?

They don’t all expect – or even want - to be MD in a year! In fact, the growing number of graduates has made them much more realistic in terms of their expectations, which can only be a good thing for employers.

How to get value from them fast and retain them in your business is crucial and must be addressed, as part of this solution, because recruiting them is only the beginning. (And we can help with this too.)

So take a look at your organisation – identify where you have needs in your business both today and for the future and decide which of these routes will best benefit your business.  After all that’s what graduates, like all employees, should do for any organisation, isn’t it?

 

Simon Reichwald
Director, Graduate Success

"It’s the question that any business should ask before they begin recruiting graduates, and if you already do, you should ask the question every year. If your graduates are not delivering value you should not do it!"